Thursday, July 16, 2009
Moving Day
My blog has moved. This will be the last post on this site. The new blog address is http://ralanboyle.wordpress.com/
Monday, July 13, 2009
Awaken!
I find myself, today, unable to awaken.
Saturday was both a hard and great day. Our good friends moved from one apartment to another. I really like the area that they moved to and I am happy for them. They had about 8 people able to help them move which was marvelous. The weather was great and the day went well. I did not feel like everyone pulled their weight but so is the problem with volunteer labor. I have a tendency to get anxious and therefor frustrated easily with moving days. I have a phobia of being in the way in any situation and, since a moving truck is usually blocking an alley or road, that escalates into a manic desire to work quickly. It is an unhealthy issue I have. They got moved in with no major problems. I found myself on the stairs portion of our assembly line from the truck to the apartment and strained my back. I am feeling better now, but was not worth much Saturday afternoon or evening.
Sara, bless her, was working even though she has been fighting off a sinus infection. She is now drugged up and napping.
Sunday, we helped put up shelves in the new apartment which I was happy to do. It gave us some quality time with our friend and gave me something to do with my afternoon. Plus we got some free Thai food out of the deal, which is always a good thing.
I find myself, today, unable to awaken.
I'm not sure if it is the tired body, the quiet house or lack of focus on which task to handle. I find myself spinning and unable to really get traction on my to do list and I'm not sure how to handle it. I've got some reading I should do but I fear that will put me to sleep. I've got some cleaning I need to do but I don't have the energy or motivation. I've got some research I need to do but I just p[lain don't want to.
I think its time for lunch.
Saturday was both a hard and great day. Our good friends moved from one apartment to another. I really like the area that they moved to and I am happy for them. They had about 8 people able to help them move which was marvelous. The weather was great and the day went well. I did not feel like everyone pulled their weight but so is the problem with volunteer labor. I have a tendency to get anxious and therefor frustrated easily with moving days. I have a phobia of being in the way in any situation and, since a moving truck is usually blocking an alley or road, that escalates into a manic desire to work quickly. It is an unhealthy issue I have. They got moved in with no major problems. I found myself on the stairs portion of our assembly line from the truck to the apartment and strained my back. I am feeling better now, but was not worth much Saturday afternoon or evening.
Sara, bless her, was working even though she has been fighting off a sinus infection. She is now drugged up and napping.
Sunday, we helped put up shelves in the new apartment which I was happy to do. It gave us some quality time with our friend and gave me something to do with my afternoon. Plus we got some free Thai food out of the deal, which is always a good thing.
I find myself, today, unable to awaken.
I'm not sure if it is the tired body, the quiet house or lack of focus on which task to handle. I find myself spinning and unable to really get traction on my to do list and I'm not sure how to handle it. I've got some reading I should do but I fear that will put me to sleep. I've got some cleaning I need to do but I don't have the energy or motivation. I've got some research I need to do but I just p[lain don't want to.
I think its time for lunch.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Irrational Rationallity
The other night one friend of mine asked another, "Do you not want for something more?"
The speaking friend had been explaining about how she had rejected Catholicism as a young adult and was now searching for spiritual fulfillment. She had spent some time considering herself as an atheist and found it terribly unfulfilling. She was unwilling to return to the religion she had left behind, and seemed to be spinning frantically in circles reaching out to the passing, flickering glimpses of something she couldn't quite make out.
The friend she was speaking to is an atheist who rejected the Hinduism of his family after moving to the USA and dredging through academia. He had been told that a rational person can not believe in something which cannot be empirically evidenced. His courses convinced him that, while the scientific method has not yet discovered all that there is to know, it has certainly disproved the idea of a spiritual world.
His response was simply that he did long for there to be more, but since there was nothing more, it was a silly desire.
Oh, how far we've come as a society! We know so much! We are so advanced that we have abandoned reality in order to map our surroundings.
One man said, "It is only that which we do not yet understand that we call God."
I say, "It is God that we do not yet understand. It is that which we do not understand that we call not God."
God is in everything and yet he is superior. He is not "he" and he is both "he" and "she". He is the scientific method and he is art. He is the answer and he is the question. He is our reality yet we do not realize him. He is found all around us yet he will not be discovered.
The speaking friend had been explaining about how she had rejected Catholicism as a young adult and was now searching for spiritual fulfillment. She had spent some time considering herself as an atheist and found it terribly unfulfilling. She was unwilling to return to the religion she had left behind, and seemed to be spinning frantically in circles reaching out to the passing, flickering glimpses of something she couldn't quite make out.
The friend she was speaking to is an atheist who rejected the Hinduism of his family after moving to the USA and dredging through academia. He had been told that a rational person can not believe in something which cannot be empirically evidenced. His courses convinced him that, while the scientific method has not yet discovered all that there is to know, it has certainly disproved the idea of a spiritual world.
His response was simply that he did long for there to be more, but since there was nothing more, it was a silly desire.
Oh, how far we've come as a society! We know so much! We are so advanced that we have abandoned reality in order to map our surroundings.
One man said, "It is only that which we do not yet understand that we call God."
I say, "It is God that we do not yet understand. It is that which we do not understand that we call not God."
God is in everything and yet he is superior. He is not "he" and he is both "he" and "she". He is the scientific method and he is art. He is the answer and he is the question. He is our reality yet we do not realize him. He is found all around us yet he will not be discovered.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Boyle's Theory of Relativity
The basic difference in Galileo's theories of space/time and Einstein's is that Einstein noticed that time itself is relative to the perceiver. Everybody knows E+mc^2- do you know what that means? Basically it means that the mass of something is equal to its energy and that, coupled with velocity, one can calculate its time offset relative to the viewer.
More recently in 2008, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Batavia, Illinois discovered that a single atomic particle can exist simultaneously in multiple locations.
These two discoveries by very reputable scientific sources are only two in a long list of discoveries that directly oppose the basic principals of the modern scientific worldview.
The idea that a single reality, ultimately accessible to man's mind, can be discovered and agreed upon by all is a product of post-enlightenment arrogance. Sure, Galileo was pre-enlightenment era but these thought processes have to be based in the past. He was ahead of his time.
I do not think that science is the end all authority on reality, but it is one why is learning about the world around us. Science has now discovered that time is relative, and that space is relative. I think the only why this will be truthfully understood is with the understanding that our existence in the world around us is relative as well.
Wht do you think?
More recently in 2008, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Batavia, Illinois discovered that a single atomic particle can exist simultaneously in multiple locations.
These two discoveries by very reputable scientific sources are only two in a long list of discoveries that directly oppose the basic principals of the modern scientific worldview.
The idea that a single reality, ultimately accessible to man's mind, can be discovered and agreed upon by all is a product of post-enlightenment arrogance. Sure, Galileo was pre-enlightenment era but these thought processes have to be based in the past. He was ahead of his time.
I do not think that science is the end all authority on reality, but it is one why is learning about the world around us. Science has now discovered that time is relative, and that space is relative. I think the only why this will be truthfully understood is with the understanding that our existence in the world around us is relative as well.
Wht do you think?
Monday, July 6, 2009
Stigma and Stigmata
For those of you skimming for a thesis statement you'll not find it until the final sentence. (thesis statements are stupid)
There are things in our culture that we have chosen to stigmatize as evil or generally negative. Many of us have lived our lives surrounded by the culture of quazi-Christian American conservativism. (that has nothing to do with politics)
This culture has many agendas but there are a few that bother me more than others. Certainly I think everyone is entitled to an opinion, I simply think it is best for that opinion to be well founded.
Generally these fall into the category of ethical scapegoats. The Hebrew people ceremonially placed their sins on a goat and sent it out to die. Likewise, we force our sins and shortcomings on things and send them out hoping they will die.
Blame the music industry - Most of the time Rap and Heavy Metal get blamed for youth violence. I am unable to stand up for rap because I am unfamiliar with it. I would like to point out that many of the bands that get blamed for encouraging violent acts do just the opposite.
Example:
Disturbed has been called "a major influence" on at least two the the televised School Shootings since 2000. Disturbed consistently writes anti hate and anti violence lyrics; "You are my mortal enemy, You try to say that you love life then find another way to kill life." Social justice- "These are the hands we were given so so get up and make this a place worth living in." Forgiveness - "all that I want is forgiveness one more time."
For the sake of time I'll stop there, although I'd be happy to email a long list to anyone interested.
Blame the video games- the Grand Theft Auto series has been controversial since its inception in 1997. Each edition increases that controversy as each edition more clearly depicts acts of violence and sexuality. In 2007 and 2008 several car jackings were called "GTA style" suggesting the game had influenced the criminals. While one cannot prove influence it would be worth pointing out that all but one of these car jackings were committed by teenagers under that age of 18 which is the minimum age to purchase the game. Yes, they card for the game just like cigarettes and alcohol because it is not intended for children. If one is going to point the figure at GTA then they must also point the figure at the parents who let the kids play it and whoever illegally bought it for them.
Blame the Movies and Blame TV also top the list but we don't have time to fight them all.
The point is. Why do we so badly need to blame someone else? Our culture is all about us versus them. We pit our children against each other in everyday possible. We picket and riot all the time. Political parties argue viciously everyday. Religions declare war on one another. Denominations demonize each other and races and genders continue the ignorant hostility.
Why are we so afraid to look at ourselves and say that we are the problem? Because really, WE ARE THE PROBLEM!
There are things in our culture that we have chosen to stigmatize as evil or generally negative. Many of us have lived our lives surrounded by the culture of quazi-Christian American conservativism. (that has nothing to do with politics)
This culture has many agendas but there are a few that bother me more than others. Certainly I think everyone is entitled to an opinion, I simply think it is best for that opinion to be well founded.
Generally these fall into the category of ethical scapegoats. The Hebrew people ceremonially placed their sins on a goat and sent it out to die. Likewise, we force our sins and shortcomings on things and send them out hoping they will die.
Blame the music industry - Most of the time Rap and Heavy Metal get blamed for youth violence. I am unable to stand up for rap because I am unfamiliar with it. I would like to point out that many of the bands that get blamed for encouraging violent acts do just the opposite.
Example:
Disturbed has been called "a major influence" on at least two the the televised School Shootings since 2000. Disturbed consistently writes anti hate and anti violence lyrics; "You are my mortal enemy, You try to say that you love life then find another way to kill life." Social justice- "These are the hands we were given so so get up and make this a place worth living in." Forgiveness - "all that I want is forgiveness one more time."
For the sake of time I'll stop there, although I'd be happy to email a long list to anyone interested.
Blame the video games- the Grand Theft Auto series has been controversial since its inception in 1997. Each edition increases that controversy as each edition more clearly depicts acts of violence and sexuality. In 2007 and 2008 several car jackings were called "GTA style" suggesting the game had influenced the criminals. While one cannot prove influence it would be worth pointing out that all but one of these car jackings were committed by teenagers under that age of 18 which is the minimum age to purchase the game. Yes, they card for the game just like cigarettes and alcohol because it is not intended for children. If one is going to point the figure at GTA then they must also point the figure at the parents who let the kids play it and whoever illegally bought it for them.
Blame the Movies and Blame TV also top the list but we don't have time to fight them all.
The point is. Why do we so badly need to blame someone else? Our culture is all about us versus them. We pit our children against each other in everyday possible. We picket and riot all the time. Political parties argue viciously everyday. Religions declare war on one another. Denominations demonize each other and races and genders continue the ignorant hostility.
Why are we so afraid to look at ourselves and say that we are the problem? Because really, WE ARE THE PROBLEM!
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Dribble and Such
The Squash plant survived. It is on the back porch. It is hot in our apartment, in the 80s, so we got a window unit. It is still hot, but slightly less so. Today I got to know Kerry Holton. He will be a good friend. We are on the same page about a lot of things, and, better yet, we are not on the same page about everything. If everyone agreed about everything no one would learn anything. No one would think and no one would grow. How boring life would be. We seem to agree about the important stuff anyway.
I'm still hot. I'm going into the living room to sit in front of the window unit.
I'm still hot. I'm going into the living room to sit in front of the window unit.
Friday, June 19, 2009
The Lement of the Squash
They laughed at me. Said it couldn't be done. As we speak I have two respectable sized squash growing on my plant which spent its entire life indoors with nothing other than soil, water and the light from the window. There are also several tiny squash starting to develop.
Now the bad part. This is actually two plants. i grew them from seed, two seeds planted together formed two nice plants. One was weighed down by its fruit and broke nearly in two at the base. That was yesterday morning, I splinted it and today it looked like it grafted together and would survive. Also today I discovered it is entirely infested with worms and gnats. I don't understand, the thing has never been outside, how could it possibly have worms? Nevertheless, it was not just a few but a full on infestation, which means it must be taken outside. I can not have that in my apartment which already has a bug problem. While carrying it outside the splinted plant broke in half. I am sad about my squash, the two vegetables may never ripen. I got so close and all this happened, I really think that if the problems had not all come at once they could have been handled.
I know it sounds hippy but there is a satisfaction from growing food from seed. It takes time and effort and i want my vegetables.
Now the bad part. This is actually two plants. i grew them from seed, two seeds planted together formed two nice plants. One was weighed down by its fruit and broke nearly in two at the base. That was yesterday morning, I splinted it and today it looked like it grafted together and would survive. Also today I discovered it is entirely infested with worms and gnats. I don't understand, the thing has never been outside, how could it possibly have worms? Nevertheless, it was not just a few but a full on infestation, which means it must be taken outside. I can not have that in my apartment which already has a bug problem. While carrying it outside the splinted plant broke in half. I am sad about my squash, the two vegetables may never ripen. I got so close and all this happened, I really think that if the problems had not all come at once they could have been handled.
I know it sounds hippy but there is a satisfaction from growing food from seed. It takes time and effort and i want my vegetables.
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